Partners On and Off Set
by elsiecarson
Summary: Colleen Peck and Mike Pomeroy have to work together and they're learning to get along. What happens when they decide to spend some time away from work together? There are signs of insecurity and later they have to go on location and they soon find out they're going to have to share a room because the town is so small.
1. Morning Meeting

Colleen and Mike arrive at the television station at the same time and go up in the elevator together. "What are you cooking on the show today?" Colleen asks as a means of friendly conversation.

"I've got a recipe for sweet and sour chicken that I like, so I'm going to make that. Do you want me to save you some?" Mike asks as he pulls his recipe out of his inside pocket.

"Why don't I taste test your dish, when it's finished, live on air?" Colleen suggests quietly. She doesn't want to disrupt Mike's routine.

"That's actually a great idea. People aren't downloading my recipes because they don't think they're good because I'm the only one eating them." Mike says enthusiastically.

"Great, what do you put in your sweet and sour chicken? I just don't want to have an allergic reaction to anything." Colleen says as the elevator stops.

"Just pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, pepper, vinegar, and oil." Mike says as they enter the morning meeting.

"That sounds great! I can't wait to try it!" Colleen says kindly.

"It's so nice to see you two getting along so well." The executive producer, Becky Fuller, teases her on air personalities.

"I think we've discovered that we're a lot more similar than we first imagined." Colleen says as she pulls her notes out of her briefcase.

"Isn't that just the truth. I can honestly say that I can't wait to go on location for once in my life. When are we doing that?" Mike asks as he scribbles something on the top of Colleen's sheet. He never remembers his own.

"We're leaving Saturday night so we can get there on time. I should warn you though you and Colleen will have to share a room. This is a small town and we've taken all the rooms they have, but we're still short one." Becky says honestly.

"I don't mind sharing a room with Mike as long as he doesn't mind." Colleen says trying to be cooperative.

"I don't mind sharing either if that's what needs to be done." Mike says trying to catch Colleen's eye.

"Good, well, that's settled. Mike, what are you making on the show today?" Becky asks. She's surprised at Colleen and Mike's reaction to the situation.

"Sweet and sour chicken," Mike says nonchalantly.

"That's all prepped, right?" Becky asks calmly.

"Of course," Mike says as scrawls on Colleen's paper.

"Good, meeting dismissed. See you on set in 15 minutes." Becky says gathering up all her papers.


	2. Pre Show Prep

Colleen and Mike walk towards their dressing rooms together. "Sharing a room together ought to be interesting." Colleen says looking over at Mike.

"Yeah, you aren't an untidy roommate are you?" Mike asks as he cups Colleen's ass quite daringly considering that she has never shown any inclination toward him at all.

"Of course not. I'm a very tidy person despite the appearance of my dressing room." Colleen says as she pauses at her door.

"That's good, I can't stand messy roommates." Mike says as he walks back towards his dressing room.

Colleen walks into her dressing room and pulls a pink sweater and white pants out of her wardrobe and slips them on along with a pair of white loafers. She steps out of her dressing room and walks towards the set. She sits down in her chair behind the news desk. A few moments later Mike comes out and sits next to her.


	3. Cooking Up Fun

The first parts of the show including the news, and a couple of interviews go very well. During the break Mike puts an apron on and gets his ingredients in order.

"Can I help?" Colleen asks as she ties an apron on as she stands next to Mike.

"You can help me mix the sauce if you want." Mike says as he slices the chicken breast into chunks before the break is over.

"Great idea." Colleen whispers just before the break ends.

"Welcome back! Today we're making a healthy version of sweet and sour chicken. It's a very easy dish and my assistant Colleen will be helping me." Mike says smiling at the camera. "The first step is to brown the chicken. My assistant will be making the sauce. It's going to look very runny, but it will caramelize as you cook it. You will combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, and pepper together. After the chicken is browned you can pour the sauce over the chicken and allow it to caramelize. Turn the chicken over several times as it's cooking. That way the sauce seeps into the chicken more." Mike says he brown the chicken and then adds the sauce to the pan. "This will be done in half an hour. We'll come back to it then. After the break we'll be interviewing Julie Andrews. So, come back after the break!"

"That was fun!" Colleen says enthusiastically as the TV cameras go to commercial.

"Yes, it was. I can't wait for you to try the recipe. We should do this more often." Mike says happily as he and Colleen sit down at the interview set after taking off their aprons.


	4. Interview with Julie

"Back in 3, 2, 1," the camera technician says counting back to the show.

"Welcome back, Dame Julie Andrews is a star of stage and screen and she has also authored several books with her daughter. We know her as Maria from the Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, and the younger generation knows her as Queen Lillian from the Shrek movies and Queen Clarisse from the first Princess Diaries movie. She's here promoting the second Princess Diaries movie today. Please welcome the lovely Julie Andrews!" Colleen says excitedly. She loves Julie Andrews.

Julie Andrews walks out onto the set in an elegant, black pant suit and a lilac blouse and scarf. She carefully sits down and looks at Mike and Colleen. "Thank you for having me on the show."

"What is the attraction for you of doing and making children's films?" Colleen asks the always elegant Julie Andrews.

"Well, I've got grandchildren now and making movies like Victor Victoria and Thoroughly Modern Millie just didn't make much sense. I think more carefully about the movie roles I choose now."

"So what is your new movie about? At the end of the last movie Anne Hathaway's character, Princess Mia, is flying to her grandmother, Queen Clarisse's, homeland of Genovia." Mike asks having read a synopsis in advance.

"It's a continuation, really. It starts with Princess Mia graduating from college and flying back to Genovia. The movie is entitled A Royal Engagement and it's a lovely movie you can take the whole family to see. The movie does have a twist near the end, but I won't give any clues." Julie says with a smile.

"Well, we have a clip of you in your new movie from the bridal shower scene, I believe. Let's watch." Colleen says sweetly. Mike and Colleen and Julie turn towards the monitors and watch the scene which shows Julie, Clarisse, walking into Mia's bridal shower wearing her powder blue pyjamas and walking her poodle, Maurice. The princesses who are at the party are all mattress surfing, but poorly, and Clarisse decides to show them how it's done. Before she's gone down the large ramp Princess Mia says, "I thought you didn't slide." Clarisse replies, "I don't, but I have done a lot of flying in my time."

"Did you do that stunt yourself or did a stunt person do that for you?" Mike asks as the clip ends.

"I actually did that scene myself and I had a great time trying it." Julie says as she turns back towards Colleen and Mike.

"Well, it's great to have you on the show again and I hope you come back and see us soon." Colleen says smiling at Julie.

"Thank you so much." Julie says gently.

"After the break watch Colleen try my sweet and sour chicken. We'll be right back!" Mike says happily.


End file.
